Geneva football downs Streamwood in 2OT thriller

STREAMWOOD – Geneva’s sideline celebrated like the team had just qualified for the playoffs after Friday’s Upstate Eight River Division clash with Streamwood.

The Vikings had just pulled out a 35-34, double-overtime victory to earn their third straight win to end the season at 4-5.

Streamwood nearly pulled out the victory, scoring 14 unanswered points after the Vikings took a 21-7 lead on TJ Miller’s 1-yard touchdown run that ended a 67-yard drive with 11:54 left in the fourth quarter.

But Geneva held its ground in the extra periods as it scored a pair of touchdowns on both of its possessions.

After Streamwood matched the touchdown on its final possession, the Sabres’ sideline called for a two-point conversion to win the game, but Kyle Strong’s run up the middle was stopped at the 1-inch line by a host of Viking defenders.

Geneva looked like it was going to cruise to the victory after it went ahead 13-0 on a 29-yard field goal from senior kicker Kevin Dunlop, his second field goal of the night, with 4:59 left in the third quarter. But Streamwood creeped back into the contest by scoring on its next three possessions.

On its final possession in regulation, Geneva seemingly had lost the ball on a fumble at the Streamwood 46-yard line after a completed pass to Kyle Brown, but it was ruled the ground caused the fumble, keeping the drive alive.

But two costly penalties near the end of regulation forced Geneva to punt, ending the drive.

Senior running back Bobby Hess finished with 145 yards rushing with a pair of touchdowns.

His first came in the second quarter when he ended a 56-yard drive on a 1-yard run with 4:19 left in the second quarter, while his second came on Geneva’s first possession in overtime.

Miller rushed five times for 65 yards for the Vikings. Freshman quarterback Nick Derr went 8 for 16 for 84 yards.

Linebacker Jake Will led the way defensively for the Vikings with eight tackles.